Display device



April 5, 1960 H. RUBIN 2,931,515

DISPLAY nsvrcz Filed Oct. 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 4.

INVENTOR HAROLD RUBIN BY Z042 A61 ATTORNEYS H. RUBIN I DISPLAY DEVICE April 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed on. 2Q, 1958 INVENTOR HAROLD RUBIN ATTORNEYS United States Patent O DISPLAY DEVICE Harold Rubin, New Milford, N.J., assignor to Testrite Instrument Co., Inc., Newark, N.J., a corporation of New York Application October 20, 1958, Serial No. 768,280

8 Claims. (Cl. 211-60) The present invention relates generally to an improved display device and it relates more particularly to an improved collapsible easel type display device.

Counter top display devices of the easel type are widely used and are generally of a collapsible nature to facilitate their storage and shipment. Many of these display devices are provided 'with brackets for supporting or carrying articles which are on display for sale or dispensing. It is with this latter type of display device that the present invention is primarily concerned. Such display devices hereto available have been relatively dlflicult to erect, costly, unsatisfactory in that they did not properly support the displayed articles and otherwise left much to be desired.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved display device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved display device which may be easily and readily erected and collapsed to facilitate the shipping and storage thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved collapsible easel type display device for use on counter tops and the like.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved collapsible easel type, cardboard, counter top display device characterized by its simplicity, ruggedness and low cost.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a rejading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings therein:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a display device embodying the present invention, a supported displayed article being shown in broken line;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the cut blanks employed in forming the improved display device;

Figure 3 is front elevational view of the assembled display device in collapsed condition;

Figure 4 isa side elevational view thereof;

Figure 5 is a view, looking down at an angle, of the display device in erected condition;

Figure 6 is a rear elevational view thereof;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view thereof; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 in Figure 5.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of an improveddisplay device of the character described comprising a backing plate having a front face and a rear face, an easel member mounted on said backing plate rear face and an article support bracket mounted on said backing plate front face and including a substantially rectangular rear panel secured to said backing plate front face, upper and lower rectangular panels projecting forwardly of and hinged to said rear panel upper and lower edges and a rectangular front panel hinged at its upper and lower edges to the leading edges of said upper and lower panels, said upper panel having article receiving apertures formed therein.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the support easel includes a rectangular center panel secured to the backing plate and a pair of wings hinged to the side edges of said panel and releasably supported in a rearwardly directed position by a notched horizontally hinged locking flap engaging trailing edges of the easel wings. The bracket top and bottom panel side edges are provided with hinged first rectangular flaps which are brought into overlying relationship and the bracket rear panel side-edges are provided with hinged second flaps which overlie the front flaps, the second flaps having tabs which extend between the bracket front panel and the leading edges of the first flaps to releasably lock the bracket in an erect condition. Vertically aligned apertures are formed in the bracket top and bottom panels to accommodate articles which are to be displayed.

Referring now to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention employed in the display of magnifying or reading glasses, it being understood that it may, by simple modification, be employed for displaying other types of articles, the numeral 10 generally designates the improved display device which includes a backing plate 11, an easel member 12 mounted on the rear face of the backing plate 11 and an article support bracket 13 mounted in the front face of the backing plate 11. The backing plate 11 is fiat and formed of heavy cardboard or other suitable material and may be of any desired configuration. It is illustrated as having a horizontal bottom edge, parallel side wardly diverging side edges 20 and lower edges 21 which converge downwardly to a horizontal bottom edge 22. A pair of 'laterally'spaced vertical parallel fold lines 23 extend upwardly from points of intersection of the edges 21 and 22 to the upper edge 19 to divide the blank 18 into a middle rectangular panel 24 and laterally extending trapezium shaped wings 26. A locking tab 27 is formed from the blank 18 by a out line including substantially vertical end sections 28 spaced laterally outwardly from the panel 24, and inwardly directed convex portions 29 connected by a center convex bridge 30, the points of intersection of the convex portions 29 and 30 defining notches 32 which coincide with the vertical fold lines 23. A horizontal fold line 33 connects the lower ends of the cuts 28 and downwardly inwardly directed cuts 34 also extend therefrom to the vertical fold lines 23.

A layer of adhesive is, applied to the panel 24 above the locking tab 27 and below the horizontal fold line 33 and to the laterally extending portions defined by the cuts 34 and fold line 33. A corresponding layer 36 of adhesive is located on the back face of the backing plate 11 and clears the tongue 14. The blank 18 is superimposed upon the rear face of the backing plate 11 with the adhesive carrying sections coinciding to effect a secure- .ment between the backing plate 11 and easel blank 18.

However the wings 26 and locking tab 27 are free to swing rearwardly and the tongue 14 to move forwardly.

The article support bracket 13 is likewise fabricated of a single cardboard blank 39 which includes a main body portion 40 of rectangular configuration. The body portion 40 is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced parallel horizontal fold lines 41 which divide the body portion 40, into upper and lower rectangular panels 42 and 43 respectively, upper and lower intermediate rectangular panels 44 and 46 respectively and a middle rectangular panel 47. The panels 44 and 46' are of equal 3. height and the height of the panel 42 is equal to the sum of the heights of the panels 43 and 47. A U-shaped cut 48 is formed in the upper panel 42 and a plurality of regularly laterally spaced pairs of vertically aligned circular apertures 49 are formed in the intermediate panels 44 and 46.

Extending laterally from the upper and lower intermediate panels 44 and 46 and delineated therefrom by fold lines 50 are flaps 51 having converging side edges. The lengths of the flaps 5'1 are slightly less than the height of the intermediate panel 47. A pair of rectangular flaps 52 project laterally from the lower side edges of the panel 42 and are separated therefrom by fold lines 53. Extending from the outer edges of the fiaps 52 and delineated therefrom by fold lines 54 are tabs 56. The lengths of T the flaps 52 are approximately equal to the heights of the panels 44 and 46 and their heights approximately equal to the height of the panel 47.

In applying the bracket forming blank 39 to the backing plate 11 and completing the assembly of the collapsed display device, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawing, the backing plate tongue 14 is pressed forwardly and brought into engagement with the slot defined by the cut 48 in the bracket panel 42. The front of the blank 39 initially confronts the front of the backing plate 11, the blank 39 being inverted and the upper edge of the panel 42 coinciding with the lower edge of the backing plate 11. The blank 39 is then bent downwardly about the fold line 41 between panels 44 and 47 to bring panels 42 and 44 in superposition with panels 43,

46 and 47, and the end edges of panels 42 and 43 into coincidence with each other. Fastening staples 58 secure the collapsed bracket to the backing plate 11.

In erecting the improved display device the easel wings 26 are bent rearwardly about the fold lines 23 until they are perpendicular to the backing plate 11. The tab 27 is then bent downwardly about the fold line 33 until the notches 32 register with the notches at the insersections of the cuts 28 and 34 to releasably lock the easel wings in erect position. By reason of the inclination of the wing lower edges, the backing plate 11 will normally assume a rearwardly upwardly inclined position. The panel 47 which defines the bracket front wall is moved to its forwardmost position parallel to the backing plate 11 by swinging the upper and lower intermediate panels 44 and 46 downwardly about the fold lines 41 until they 'are perpendicular to the backing plate 11 and panel 47.

The panels 44 and 46 define upper and lower bracket walls, the apertures 49 being in confronting axial alignment. Thereafter the adjacent flaps 51 are bent inwardly about fold lines 50 into superposition with each other and the closure flaps 52 are bent inwardly about the fold lines 53, the tabs 56 being inserted between the edges of flaps 51 and wall 47 to releasably lock the article supporting bracket in erect position. The improved display device may be collapsed in the manner opposite to that described above.

The exposed front faces of the backing plate 11 and bracket 13 may be colored and imprinted with any desired information and legends. The articles which are displayed with the illustrated form of the present invention are reading or magnifying glasses A which include handle portions H which slidably register with axially aligned apertures 49. The articles A are thus removably and attractively supported by the improved display device '10.

While there has been illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention it is apparent that numerous alterations omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

I. An improved display device of the character described cornprising a backing plate having a front face and a rear face, an easel member mounted on said backiiig plate rear' face, and an article'support' bracket mounted on and extending horizontally across said backing plate front face substantially above the lower edge thereof and including a substantially rectangular rear panel secured to said backing plate front face, upper and lower rectangular panels projecting forwardly of and hinged to said rear panel at its upper edge and below its upper edge, respectively, and a rectangular front panel hinged at its upper and lower edges of the leading edges of said upper and lower panels and forming therewith and with said rear panel a rectangular cross-section tube, and means integral with certain of said panels internally bracing said tube, said upper panel having article receiving apertures formed therein, and said rear panel having its lower edge flush with the lower edge of said backing plate to reinforce the latter below said bracket and to support said tube.

2. An improved display device of the character described comprising a backing plate having a front face and a rear face, an easel member mounted on said backing plate rear face, and an article support bracket mounted on and extending horizontally across said backing plate front face substantially above the lower edge thereof and including a substantially rectangular rear panel secured to said backing plate front face, upper and lower rectangular panels projecting forwardly of and hinged to said rear panel at its upper edge and below its upper edge, respectively, a rectangular front panel hinged at its upper and lower edges to the leading edges of said upper and lower panels and forming therewith and with said rear panel a rectangular cross-section tube, said upper panel having article receiving apertures formed therein and a locking flap hinged to a side edge of one of said panels and extending to an opposite panel and terminating in an inwardly directed tab abutting the inner face of said opposite panel, said locking flap internally bracing said tube, and said rear panel having its lower edge flush with the lower edge of said backing plate to reinforce the latter below said bracket and to support said tube.

3. An improved display device of the character described comprising a backing plate having a front face and a rear face, an easel member mounted on said backing plate rear f ce and an artic'e su ort acket mounted on and extending horizontally across said backing plate front face substantially above the lower edge thereof and including a substantially rectangular rear panel secured to said backing plate front face, upper and lower rectangular panels projecting forwardly of and hinged to said rear panel at its upper edge and below its upper edge, respectively, and a rectangular front panel hinged at its upper and lower edges to the leading edges of said upper and lower panels and forming therewith and with said rear panel a rectangular cross-section tube, and means integral with certain of said panels internally bracing said tube, said upper and lower panels having laterally spaced pairs of vertically axially aligned apertures formed therein, and said rear panel having its lower edge flush with the lower edge of said backing plate to reinforce the latter below said bracket and to support said tube.

4. An improved display device of the character described comprising a backing plate having a front face and a rear face, an easel member mounted on said backing plate rear face, a back panel secured to said backing plate front face and having a horizontal upper edge, a forwardly directed top panel hinged to said back panel upper edge, a first front panel hinged to and depending from the forward edge of said top panel, a bottom panel hinged to and directed rearwardly from the bottom edge of said first front panel to the front face of said back panel and a second front panel depending from and hinged to the rear edge of said bottom panel and superimposed upon and secured to said back panel, said back, first front, and top and bottom panels forming a rectangular crosssection tube, and means integral with certain of said panels internally bracing said tube, the lower edges of said rear and second front panel being flush with each other and with the lower edge of said plate to reinforce the latter and support said tube.

5. An improved display device in accordance with claim 4 including substantially rectangular flaps projecting forwardly from the upper side edges of said back panel and terminating in inwardly directed tabs substantially abutting the inner face of said first front panel, said flap constituting said bracing means.

6. An improved display device in accordance with claim 5 including verticallyprojecting superimposed flaps extending from the side edges of said top and bottom panels and underlying the flaps projecting from said back panel.

7. An improved display device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said top and bottom panels have substantially vertically axially aligned apertures formed therein.

8. -An improved display device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said backing plate is upwardly rearwardly inclined.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 977,292 Gair Nov. 29, 1910 1,170,507 Blum Feb. 8, 1916 1,176,786 Stranders Mar. 28, 1916 2,114,528 Ghiselin Apr. 19, 1938 2,115,448 Pradt Apr. 26, 1938 2,138,460 Ringler Nov. 29, 1938 

